For those physicians who may have missed the June 30 deadline to file for a Medicare e-prescribing hardship, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has reopened applications until January 31, 2013. If accepted, a hardship exemption allows physicians to avoid a 1.5 percent penalty in 2013.

Current hardship exemptions include:

the inability to prescribe due to state, federal or local law/regulation

fewer than 100 prescriptions were written from January 1, 2012 – June 30, 2012

your practice is in a rural area without sufficient high-speed Internet access

there are not enough pharmacies able to accept e-prescribing in your area

For more information and to file your 2013 hardship request, visit the CMS website here.